i would hope that would break the fall of the fiscal cliff, which is becoming more of a slope. but we really do need to put down a down payment. reporter: a lot of maneuvering going on. steny hoyer predicted there would be movement and private in the coming days with lawmakers leaving for the weekend. perhaps that peace and quiet will be helpful. jenna: thank you so much. jenna: superstorm sandy swept away their homes, and now they are demanding action to protect against this kind of damage in the future. we will tell you about that. and an american astronaut gets ready to spend a year in outer space [ loud party sounds ] hi, i'm ensure clear... clear, huh? i'm not juice or fancy water. i've gotine grams of protein. that's three times more than me! [ female announcer ] ensure clear. nine grams protein. zero fat. in blueberry/pomegranate and peach. >> today i am pledging to cut the deficit by half of the end of my first term in office. this will not be easy. it will require us to make difficult decisions and face challenges we have long neglected. but i refuse to leave our child